1999–2000 New Jersey Nets season

The 1999–2000 New Jersey Nets season was the Nets' 33rd season in the National Basketball Association, and 24th season in East Rutherford, New Jersey.^[1] During the off-season, the team re-acquired former Nets guard Johnny Newman from the Los Angeles Clippers,^[2][3][4] and re-signed free agent and former Nets guard Sherman Douglas.^[5][6]

With the addition of Newman, and without Jayson Williams, who missed the entire regular season due to a knee injury sustained from the previous season,^[7][8][9] the Nets struggled losing 15 of their first 17 games of the season, which included a seven-game losing streak in November.^[10][11] Despite the awful start, the team eventually got hot by winning 13 of their next 18 games, and later on holding a 19–30 record at the All-Star break.^[12] The Nets found themselves near playoff position with a 31–40 record as of March 30, 2000.^[13] However, a rash of late-season injures cost the team to lose their final eleven games of the season,^[14] finishing in sixth place in the Atlantic Division with a 31–51 record.^[15]

Stephon Marbury averaged 22.2 points, 8.4 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, while Keith Van Horn averaged 19.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, and Kendall Gill provided the team with 13.1 points and 1.8 steals per game. In addition, Kerry Kittles provided with 13.0 points and 1.3 steals per game, but only played 62 games due to a knee injury,^[16][17] while Newman contributed 10.0 points per game, Lucious Harris contributed 6.7 points per game, and Scott Burrell provided with 6.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. On the defensive side, Jamie Feick averaged 5.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, and Jim McIlvaine provided with 2.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.^[18][19]

During the regular season, Marbury and Gill both reached different milestones, as Marbury dished out his 2,000th career assist, and Gill scored his 10,000th career point.^[19] Gill also finished tied in eighth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.^[20] The Nets finished 17th in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 643,631 at the Continental Airlines Arena during the regular season.^[18][21]

Following the season, head coach Don Casey was fired,^[22][23][24] Burrell and Gheorghe Mureșan were both released to free agency, Elliot Perry signed as a free agent with the Orlando Magic,^[25] and Williams retired after nine seasons in the NBA.^[26][27][28]